pourable silicone Archives

DIY Melt & Pour Cactus Soap

June 23, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Melt & Pour Soap

Hey everyone! It’s Kara from A Kailo Chic Life, a lifestyle blog full of colorful DIYs and recipes. I first got into soapmaking after my daughter was born seven years ago. I even tried starting my own line of pastry-and dessert-themed soaps, but eventually motherhood took over and I stopped making soap. Recently with the start of my blog, I was able to dabble in soapmaking again and have loved coming up with unique shapes and techniques using melt and pour soap.

Today I am going to show you not only how to create cactus soap, but also how to make your very own cactus-shaped molds! Cacti are all the rage right now, and with the new Cactus Flower Fragrance Oil, what better time to make a few bars of cactus shaped soap? These melt and pour soap bars look just like cacti and smell amazing. The process is easier than you might think, so let’s get started.

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Jasmine Lace Cold Process Tutorial

July 9, 2015 Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

The first time I saw lace soap was while browsing Auntie Clara’s blog. Clara Lindberg of Auntie Clara’s Handcrafted Cosmetics is an extremely talented soapmaker, and generously shared how she created her stunning lace-topped soap in this tutorial. After months of gawking, I finally tried the technique myself.

To achieve the lace pattern on the top, pourable silicone and lace are used to create a mat that sits on the bottom of the mold. Soap is then poured into the grooves of the lace silicone mat, and topped with a contrasting color. Once the silicone mat is pulled away, the lace pattern is revealed. To create my silicone mat, I used vinyl placemats with a lace design. Once you make the mat, you can use it over and over again to create various color combinations.

This project uses a combination of colorants including Radiant Plum Colorant to create a deep and rich purple. Plenty of titanium dioxide is used in the lace layer to help it pop. Scented with Jasmine Dreams Fragrance Oil, this soap smells wonderfully feminine.

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HSCG Conference Guest Post: Single Cavity Silicone Molds

June 30, 2013 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Saturday was a day full of interesting sessions, one of which was a session by Amanda Griffin on how to make single cavity silicone molds. Amanda lives in Dallas, Texas and teaches soapmaking classes that include the basics of formulation as well as more advanced soapmaking techniques that include working with color, swirling and she’ll even teach you how to make your very own silicone molds.

Have you ever found a little ornament you thought would be the cutest soap, or wished you could make your soap into something more personal? Learning to make your own single cavity silicone molds offers you a wide range of new and interesting shapes for your soaps. Think about unique shapes such as Buddhas, pine cones, cupcakes, fake food, grandma’s figurines, thrift store finds, and holiday themed items. The possibilities are endless!

Within the session Amanda explained the types of materials that were best suited for the use of making silicone molds. Pretty much anything goes, however your surface needs to be non-porous, if you find the item you’ve selected is porous be sure to seal it before making your mold.

You will also need to give thought as to how pliable you would want your mold to be for example; if you are making a slab or log mold you might want the walls to be more sturdy to hold in the larger amount of soap. Small single cavity molds will need to be more pliable to release your small irregular shaped item.

Amanda gave several examples of household items that can be used to make a mold box-the mold box holds the item you want to cast (and will ultimately become your mold); such as a pine cone, fake food item, nail polish, etc. She also explained that in order to make the proper amount of silicone you need to figure up the cubic inches within your mold box minus the space your item will take away. Don’t be afraid; there’s a calculator for that.

Getting set up for the mold.

Pouring the silicone.

One great option for pourable silicone is the DIY Pourable Silicone Kit and E-Book from Bramble Berry that includes Part A and Part B with complete instructions written by Amanda Griffin. This kit is perfect for making fun single cavity molds. (Pssst, another tip! For those more experienced with making silicone molds, Bramble Berry also sells the pourable silicone on its own!)

Silicone slab/log molds make soapmaking so much easier as they solve the huge problem of getting your soap to release without the headache of all that pushing, tugging and destruction of your soap-saving you time and money. Making your own mold is a great solution to the costly expense of purchasing a ready made mold and if you want a very specific size it is the best option. Amanda showed us how she made her very own slab mold from just a few pieces of melamine (as her mold box) from the local hardware store and pourable silicone. Yes, a new slab/log mold is really just a DIY project away.